


It Never Ends

by Arithanas



Category: The Three Musketeers (2011)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Curses, Gen, cursed bottle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-01 13:45:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16285688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arithanas/pseuds/Arithanas
Summary: Milady's last gift was not a boon.





	It Never Ends

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Prinzenhasserin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prinzenhasserin/gifts).



> _I looked into that empty bottle and I saw myself._  
>  Grace Metalious

Athos always believed in cold reason and the power of man’s will to make things work. Of course, curses were summarily condemned to the realm of folktales and other assorted human foolishness. 

That morning, Athos pushed open the door of the place he shared with his friends, feeling utterly silly for having run to mass after last night's experiment went awry.

The sun entered the room by every crack and window. Specks of dust danced in the light, and that cursed bottle sat in the middle of the table, open and inviting. 

With a tired sigh, he ran his fingers through his disheveled mane of hair. The palm of his hand touched the spot of holy water on his brow; it burned his naked skin. 

He had placed a candle on top of the stopper. He was sure.

He had seen it drip, sealing the cursed contents inside. 

Yet, it was waiting for him, awakening the Devil’s thirst inside his belly.

Last night he had placed a candle on top of it too, in an effort to stop himself from falling into temptation. He had greeted the day, ill at ease and with a head-splitting ache, cradling the same bottle against his chest.

Athos approached the table, his gaze trained on that long neck and that round belly as if the bottle was a wild animal. He began to undo the buttons of his doublet, too hot for comfort. 

She had stolen that bottle from a cave in Italy. It was old, it smelled like black and red berries with a hint of oak and pine. They had polished it off in a mad night of love. 

In that time when she was his and he was nothing without her. 

By the time their bodies clashed with the violence of their shared passion, that bottle had lain empty on the floor. As empty as it was this morning when he placed the candle before he bolted out the door. 

Athos didn’t really believe that bottle had uncorked itself or had replenished itself. In an effort to convince himself otherwise, he picked up the bottle and examined it with care. The scratch on the base was there.

It was the same bottle.

Athos felt the tip of his tongue dancing in the corner of his mouth. His lips felt dry, his belly ached. His will faltered, just for a couple of heartbeats.

Milady’s laugh rang in his ears as he took the first desperate gulp, splashing some of that never-ending wine through the opening of his undone clothes.

**Author's Note:**

> Beta work kindly provided by angelsaves, who's an excellent person!


End file.
